This terminal employs a modified Instrumentation Recorder to record multiple channels of data on 25mm (1inch) wide video tape. The reels are approx. 355 mm (14 in.) diameter andhold about 2500m (9000 ft) of tape.

The recorder typically runs at 3.4m (135 in) per second so a single pass through the tape takes about 13 min. It has a moveable headstack which allows twelve full passes giving about 3-1/2 hours recording per tape.

The rack to the left of the recorder provides 16 'video-band' channels of up to 16MHz each, from the intermediate frequency signal of a radio telescope, i.e. 256MHz total recording bandwidth maximum, but is normally used here to record 14 * 2 = 14MHz bandwidth from the telescope located at Lords' Bridge, Cambridge, U.K., which is connected by a 300km telecomminications link to Jodrell Bank.

The terminal was designed and developed by staff at the MIT Haystack Observatory near Boston, MA, U.S.A. primarily for use with the Very Long Baseline Array operated by NRAO. (See our VLBI Page).

The VLBA Terminal is based upon a Metrum (formerly Honeywell) Model 96 Instrumentation Recorder.